California Weekly Round Up

December 14, 2007

Dozens of Patients and Activists Protest DEA in Support of Tainted, Inc.
Today, dozens of Bay Area activists gathered at the Oakland Federal Building in protest of the recent raids on several Tainted, Inc. facilities and the arrests of four employees. The "Holiday Party Protest," commenced with Tainted operator and ASA activist, Michael Martin, dressed in a Santa Claus costume singing holiday carols. Martin then gave a compelling speech, presenting the DEA with a selection of scientific research which proves the efficacy of medical marijuana, and a Grinch plush doll. Referencing the tale of How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Martin encouraged the DEA to have a change of heart, as the Dr. Seuss story says. The protest continued with patient activist, Jacqueline Patterson, speaking about the importance of medical marijuana for patients, and Dr. Frank Lucido, echoing her sentiments.
The Tainted, Inc. defendants' court hearing has been postponed to January 29th. Bay Area activists and ASA plan on attending for court support. We will keep you updated on the hearing's date and location in future alerts. Read ASA's press release about the DEA's raid on Tainted here. For more information on what you can do to support the defendants, visit www.FreeTainted.com.
DEA Asset Forfeiture Letters Reach Northern California; Activists Mobilize
This week, the DEA's newest tactic of shutting down access for patients reached Northern California. Several Northern California collectives' landlords received asset forfeiture letters from the DEA. In these letters, the DEA threatens to seize the property of the innocent third-party landlords for allowing medical cannabis collectives to operate in their properties. While this is a concerning development, ASA is working in coalition with Drug Policy Alliance, Marijuana Policy Project, California NORML, and other activists and leaders to ensure that andlords, patients, and providers are protected.
We will need the grassroots' support and actions in the upcoming weeks. Please stay alert, as the coalition will be calling on activists to take action to ensure safe access in California.
Court Denies Appeal for Oakland Cannabis Buyers Cooperative
This week, the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the Oakland Cannabis Buyers Cooperative's oral arguments, affirming the U.S. government's injunction. This decision does not change the current situation for medical cannabis dispensaries in California. Read more about the decision, reported by CBS 5: http://cbs5.com/local/medical.marijuana.oakland.2.610402.htmlDEA Seizes Taxes from CA Board of Equalization
From Dale Gieringer, Executive Director, California NORML
DEA raids on California's medical marijuana dispensaries are costing the state's taxpayers millions of dollars in lost revenues, according to records collected by California NORML.
The DEA has not only closed facilities that were paying millions of dollars yearly in sales taxes, but also seized as much as $450,000 in sales tax payments that were in transit to the state Board of Equalization. Among them was a $350,000 electronic payment to the BOE from the Compassion Center of Alameda County, which the DEA seized from the bank on October 30th. Read the rest of the story>>